Netflix removes LGBTQ+ tag on Jeffrey Dahmer series after searing backlash

The psychological horror – which tells the story of the notorious serial killer’s horrific actions – was labelled as LGBTQ+ by the streaming service after being released on Wednesday (21 September).

Backlash quickly ensued after social media posts noted the bizarrely inappropriate tag, with TikTok users asking “why the f**k” Netflix decided to include the tag.

Since then, the tag appears to have been removed by Netflix with no explicit statement by the company clarifying its removal.

The series itself has gained a massive amount of controversy on its own, with many claiming that another show depicting Dahmer’s crimes is unnecessary.

“No more Jeffrey Dahmer shows, he is being turned into an icon slowly and surely by people that think his story needs to be told over and over again,” a user on social media said. “It’s insulting and horrible not only to the LGBTQ+ community but to all [in my opinion].”

Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story outlines the chilling acts of murder, necrophilia, and cannibalism orchestrated by Dahmer, who later became known as the Milwaukee Cannibal. From 1978 to 1991, Dahmer is known to have killed at least 17 men, many of whom were underage and people of colour.

It tells the story through the lives of the victims and focuses on how systemic racism and complacency by Milwaukee authorities allowed Dahmer to continue his killing spree.

The legacy of his crimes is still felt by several members of the Milwaukee LGBTQ+ community, who have criticised the show on several occasions.

BJ Daniels, who worked at local gay bar Club 219 where Jeffrey Dahmer met many of his victims, told WISN that the new Netflix show “fetishises this whole horrible moment in Milwaukee history”.